Manchester Price Chopper project making way through process

MANCHESTER&GT;&GT; The proposed demolition and replacement of the local Price Chopper supermarket is still making its way through the state permitting process. The Agency of Natural Resources and the owner of the shopping plaza both filed separate motions to alter the project details, which restarted the 30-day appeal window.

The plaza's owner, Crosspoint Associates, must wait for the end of the 30 days before it can seek an amended permit from the town, according to Tricia Hayes, a spokeswoman for the Waltham, Mass. company said.

On March 10, ANR filed a "motion to alter" the permit and requested amendments to two conditions granted under the Act 250 Commission, which was first issued on Feb. 24. The agency requested only native plants be used along the West Branch of the Batten Kill, and the protected riparian zone be extended another 50 feet.

Manchester CP LLC, the company that owns the shopping plaza, also submitted a motion to alter and requested minor amendments to the permit that the commission ultimately accepted.

The altered land use permit, with the updated project description and new conditions, was issued on March 31, according to the state's Act 250 online database.

The amended permit grants permission to demolish an existing 50,000 square feet of commercial space at the shopping center at 263 Depot St. It also approves construction of 39,896 square feet for a new, freestanding grocery store; 850 square feet of covered porch area; the renovation of another 28,720 square feet of business space; and allows for 212 parking spaces. Demolition would work around the existing grocery store, which may stay open until the new grocery store is open.

The old 10,000-square-foot vacant bowling alley behind the shopping center, as well as the retail space to the left (west) of Price Chopper, would be demolished. Existing tenants, including the Sherwin-Williams and Village Picture Shows, would be offered new spaces within the new building. Residents were concerned the project would bring noise, light pollution and idling delivery trucks. The permit addresses those concerns by mandating "sound abating wall systems" around loading docks and roof-mounted refrigeration units. During construction, crews must control dust and limit activities that will cause noise between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with no work to be done on holidays. When completed, deliveries would only be allowed between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Contact Edward Damon at 413-770-6979

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